Bulgarians from the central city of Veliko Tarnovo have organized an illegal network for senior home care by exploiting Bulgarian workers, according to an investigation by the Belgian media outlets Knack and Telefacts. The revelations have also sparked a political scandal in Belgium, and the opposition has asked the Social Minister to take action against fraud in this sector.
The seniors had been lured through the Belgian site of the company Seniorcare24.be, but had actually signed a contract with Bulgarian companies for EUR 2,500-3,000 per month. The companies had sent Bulgarians to Belgium, who had been paid three times less.
“The Bulgarians had been working 24 hours a day 7 days a week for a monthly salary of between EUR 350 and 700; this is modern slavery,” says Flemish MP Jan Bertels.
One of these Bulgarian companies has been probed in 2016 by Belgian inspectors. They found that the 82 people working for the company were not paid enough and the legislation on working hours and rest periods had not been respected. The workers had been threatened with layoffs and penalties if they told the inspectors.
Bivol’s investigation established that the Bulgarian companies behind Seniorcare24 are owned by Angel Chakarov and his two daughters Silviya Angelova Chakarova and Tereza Angelova Chakarova, who also boast Belgian last names: Caroy Müller. After being subjected to inspections in 2016, the company CARE 4 YOU had been transferred to a strawman. All companies are registered in Veliko Tarnovo.
The Veliko Tarnovo-based newspaper Borba, part of the media empire of controversial lawmaker Delyan Peevski, paints another picture of this “modern slavery”. An advertorial (a newspaper or magazine advertisement giving information about a product in the style of an editorial or objective journalistic article) from 2010 states that Chakarov’s firms were providing excellent work conditions abroad for women between 40 and 60 years of age. The workers had been so grateful that they had even inundated the newspaper with praise for their employer.
***
If you find this article useful, support our work with a small donation.
Pay a Bivol Tax!
We will highly appreciate if you decide to support us with monthly donations keeping the option Monthly
Извършвайки плащане Вие се съгласявате с Общите условия, които предварително сте прочели тук.
Please, read our Terms and conditions here.
Биволъ не записва и не съхранява номера на Вашата банкова карта. Плащанията се обработват през системата Stripe. Даренията за Биволъ с банкови карти се управляват от френската неправителствена организация Data for Reporters Journalists and Investigations - DRJI.
Bivol is not recording the number of your bank card. The card payments go through Stripe. Card donations for Bivol are managed by the French NGO Data for Reporters Journalists and Investigations - DRJI.
Извършвайки плащане Вие се съгласявате с Общите условия, които предварително сте прочели тук.
Please, read our Terms and conditions here.
Биволъ не записва и не съхранява номера на Вашата банкова карта. Плащанията се обработват през системата Stripe. Даренията за Биволъ с банкови карти се управляват от френската неправителствена организация Data for Reporters Journalists and Investigations - DRJI.
Bivol is not recording the number of your bank card. The card payments go through Stripe. Card donations for Bivol are managed by the French NGO Data for Reporters Journalists and Investigations - DRJI.
IBAN: BG27 ESPY 4004 0065 0626 02
BIC: ESPYBGS1
Титуляр/Account Holder: Bivol EOOD
Извършвайки плащане Вие се съгласявате с Общите условия, които предварително сте прочели тук.
Биволъ не записва и не съхранява номера на Вашата банкова карта. Плащанията се обработват през системата Stripe. Даренията за Биволъ с банкови карти се управляват от френската неправителствена организация Data for Reporters Journalists and Investigations - DRJI.
SMS код BIVOL
За да подкрепите с малка сума нашите разследвания и автори, можете да изпратите SMS на кратък номер. Ще получите с обратен SMS линк към нашия архив.
- Изпрати 1,2 лв. на номер 1851 с код BIVOL и получи достъп до Архивите на Биволъ
- Изпрати 2,4 лв. на номер 1092 с код BIVOL и получи достъп до Архивите на Биволъ
- Изпрати 4,8 лв. на номер 1094 с код BIVOL и получи достъп до Архивите на Биволъ
- Изпрати 12 лв. с два смс-а на номер 1096 с код BIVOL и получи достъп до Архивите на Биволъ
Сумите са с включен ДДС. Моля, имайте предвид, че това е най-неефективният начин да подпомогнете Биволъ, тъй като комисионната на мобилните оператори достига 60%. Ако имате възможност, използвайте някой от другите методи на плащане.
Криптовалути
За да ни изпратите биткойни сканирайте QR кода или използвайте един от двата адреса: Standard: 1EY3iwkPXiby6XFsyCcVPGZPYCGPbPeVcb
Segwit: bc1ql28g7qnvdmenrzhhc7rtk0zk67gg4wd9x9jmmc
- Powerful US Lobbyist Aids Businesses Linked to Sanctioned Bulgarian Lawmaker, Has Joint Company with Notorious Attorney - 8 January 2022
- Interview for FAKTI.bg
Assen Yordanov: If a lustration law had been passed, Bulgaria would not be in this state
- 19 November 2021 - After Peevski, the Magnitsky Act must target his puppeteers. #LUSTRATION is crucial! - 8 June 2021
This post is also available in: Bulgarian